The idea is not new but it has been on the back burner for the last three decades and Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world where fertility rates remain high.

“Today Pakistani population is five times as large as it was in 1950 and about 4 million people are added to it every year,” explained Dr John Bongaarts of the Population Council, New York.

“By 2050, the population in the country is expected to reach 300 million,” and that would make it the fourth largest country in the world, two positions up from the current sixth.

The idea is that supporting this unstoppable growth requires expanding production of food, water, land, power and jobs – all of which are already scarce all over the country. This reality makes family planning in Pakistan one of the most urgent causes that need immediate support and attention.

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